PAKISTAN: Disappearances and extra judicial killings of Sindhi nationalists continue

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear ___________,

PAKISTAN: Disappearances and extra judicial killings of Sindhi nationalists continues 

Names of Victims:

Mr. Zakir Hussain Bozdar son of Hashim Bozdar, resident of Ghotki, Sindh province
Mr. Sohail Raza son of Ali Nawaz resident of Shadatkot Near Kaka Makaan, Drib Muhalla, Shahdadkot, Sindh
Mr. Mr. Mujeeb Choliyani Son of Masood Choliyani, resident of Wara city, district Qamber Shahdad kot, Sindh 
Raja Shafqat Hussain Mangi, son of Muhammad Ali, resident of district Nousherea Feroz talka Kandiaro, Sindh
Mr. Abdul Wahid Baloch, resident of Shero Line, Klakoat, Lyari, Karachi, Sindh

Names of alleged perpetrators: Law Enforcement agencies

Date of incidents: July to December 2016
Place of incidents: Different districts of Sindh province

I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding extra judicial killings in custody and the enforced disappearances of Sindhi nationalists. The dead body of Mr. Zakir Hussain Bozdar was found who was missing after his arrest on December 3. A student activist, Sohail Raza Bhatti, was arrested on September 17, and since then his whereabouts are unknown. A poet and nationalist leader was targeted by “unknown persons” riding on a motor bike, after he received death threats from law enforcement agencies. Another nationalist leader, Raja Shafqat Hussain Mangi, was missing since August 11, after being arrested by Rangers. He was produced in court after three months, on December 09. He was coerced not to tell anyone about his ordeal in the detention center. He was tortured while in custody. A writer and publisher, Mr. Wahid Baloch was released from Rangers custody after four months. He disappeared after being arrested on July 26 and released on December 5. He was tortured while incommunicado.

According to the information I received that, on December 10, the International Day for Human Rights, the mutilated body of a leader of Jeay Sindh Muttaida Muhaz’s (JSMM), Mr. Zakir Hussain Bozdar was found on the road side near Degree College in Ghotki city, Sindh province. He was wrapped in a shroud, his body bearing the marks of torture. Zakir Bozdar was abducted along with his brother Ghulam Hussain Bozdar by uniformed and plain clothes men from the Pakistan Rangers on December 03. They raided his house in Mirpur Mathelo town of District Ghotki, Sindh. According to reports, Rangers personnel, local police, plain clothes agency officers in four police and rangers vans and agency police in cars, seized the Mirpur Mathelo town area in Ghotki and Mr. Bozdar was taken to an undisclosed location. His brother was released after one hour.

It is appalling for me that he was abducted twice by spy agencies of Pakistan. He was abducted on May 9, 2012, and released October 9, 2012, after five months of torture and detention. He suffered severe liver and kidney problems as a result. http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-189-2012

On 9th May 2012, Bozdar was released after being in custody for five months. Due to the torture that Zakir endured he now suffers from renal failure and has been on medications since that time.

I also received information that Mr. Mujeeb Choliyani Son of Masood Choliyani, resident of Wara city, district Qamber Shahdad kot, Sindh was arrested between the nights of 30 and 31 July, 2016, from his home along with his brothers. He has been was missing since then, his whereabouts unknown. His brothers were released some time after their arrest. On the same night houses of several activists from Jeay Sindh Mutehida Mahaz (JSMM) and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) were raided. The activists from these organisations were holding protests against state-backed religious extremists, anti-Sindh plans, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the plunder of national resources by the State.

I am much concerned about the life of Mujeeb Choliayani as his wife, Afshan Choliayani held a press conference along with his sisters and children and expressed their concerns about the condition of Mujeeb Choliyani. They alleged that he is being tortured in the torture cells of LeAs and his life is in grave danger. They feared that Mujeeb will be extra-judicially killed as many of his companions were tortured and killed by state forces. The appealed to the International Community, the UN, and International Human Rights organizations to take immediate action to save Mujeeb Choliyani’s life.

Sohail Raza Bhatti son of Ali Nawaz resident of Shadatkot Near Kaka Makaan, Drib Muhalla, Shahdadkot, Sindh, a student of Government degree college Shahdadkot, has been missing since September 17th 2015. Sohail was attending a meeting at college with his friends organized by the principal of the college. He was abducted by Pakistan Rangers in vehicles. Sohail was active in raising his voice against Pakistan for their injustices to the Sindhi’s. He was not involved in any illegal activities; there is no proof against him in any police station in Pakistan. A petition was entered at the High Court Larkana, Sindh, by Sohail’s brother on 18th September 2015. The court failed to recover him.

Sindhi students who are active and interested in nationalism are also viewed as potential threats to the status quo and are thus regularly targeted.

Aashique Mugheri, resident of village Sheikh wari mori, the district President of Jeay Sindh Muthaida Mahaz, was targeted and killed on December 9. Two motor cycle riders target to him while he was standing at a bus stop in Khando stop Warah. He was there for organizing JSMM workers in Warah city. he was well known poet and singer.

Raja Shafqat Hussain Mangi, son of Muhammad Ali, activist of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), resident of district Nousherea Feroz talka Kandiaro was arrested on 11 August 2016 from his home. After remaining three and half months incommunicado in Rangers custody, he was produced before the Courts on December 9. He was tortured for holding protests against the law enforcement agencies’ atrocities in Sindh province. Ascertained details indicated that Rangers personnel broke into his home and arrested him. His family was harassed and intimidated by the officials who later locked Mangi’s family inside a room before taking him away. A petition has been filed in the High court for his disappearance but to no avail. Later he was released by the Rangers.

I am relieved to know that Mr. Wahid Baloch is released after four months in the captivity of Rangers. Mr. Wahid Baloch, 50, a notable publisher and employee of the Civil Hospital of Karachi, was arrested by plainclothes officers impersonating state intelligence officers. Since July 26, he was kept incommunicado in the custody of Sindh Rangers in various places and suffered continuous physical torture. He was released on December 5. He had been told not to tell others about the places of detention and torture. He has been threatened that if he says anything, he will be abducted and disappear again.

I am concerned about the increasing trend in enforced disappearances in the province of Sindh. Although the Pakistan Supreme Court has declared enforced Disappearances unconstitutional and a blatant violation of the fundamental right to life, yet the state and intelligence agencies continue the practice unabated. The trend is increasing each year and shows no signs of stopping soon. Nationalist parties and their political workers are particularly targeted by the law enforcement agencies. Many activists have disappeared or been killed since the start of the military operation Zarb e Azb in Pakistan.

I, therefore, call upon you to stop the arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture in custody and extra judicial killings of Sindhi nationalists. I urge you to release and recover all those who are kept in incommunicado by Sindh Rangers and stop torture in custody. Because Pakistan has ratified the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT), responsible officials of the law enforcement agencies must be prosecuted for holding activists unlawfully and unconstitutionally. The government must set up an investigating committee to probe the growing incidents of enforced disappearances and extra judicial killings in Sindh.

Yours Sincerely,

……………….

PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1.Mr. Mian Nawaz Sharif
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111
E-mail: pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk, Email: info@pmo.gov.pk

2.Mr. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan
Federal Minister for Interior
Ministry of Interior of Pakistan
R Block, Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9212026
Fax: +92 51 9202624
Email: interior.complaintcell@gmail.com,
ministry.interior@gmail.com

3.Mr. Zahid Hamid
Federal Minister for Human Rights 
Ministry of Human Rights
State Life Building No. 5, Blue Area, 
Jinnah Avenue, China Chowk, Islamabad
Fax: +92 51 9204108
Email: contact@molaw.gov.pk

4. Mr. Syed Murad Ali Shah
Chief Minister of Sindh
The Government of Sindh Province
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
Email: pressecy@cmsindh.gov.pk

5. Mr. Sohail Anwar Khan Siyal
Minister for Home
Government of Sindh
Barrack 79, Pakistan Secretariat
Near MPA hostel
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9204456
Tel: +92 21 9201920-1
E-mail: secy.home@sindh.gov.pk

6. Mr. Tahir Shahbaz
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9213452
Email: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk

7. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: info@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk

8. Ms. Justice Majida Rizvi
Chairperson Sindh Human Rights Commission
Government of Sindh
Room No’s 408 & 414,
Sindh Secretariat Building No-03, (Old KDA Building),
Kamal Ata Turk Road, Karachi- 74200.
Tel: 021-99217318 
Fax: 021-99217317.
Email: shrcommission@gmail.com

9. Inspector General of Police
Police Head office
I. I. Chundrigar Road 
Karachi, Sindh Province
Pakistan
Fax: +92 21 9212051
E-mail: ppo.sindh@sindhpolice.gov.pk

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)